Older patients (>=70 years) who are on antidepressants or antipsychotics have an increased risk of mortality, according to an analysis of deaths during the tragic August 2003 European heat wave, researchers said here at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association (APA).
"We believe this study suggests that during heat waves doctors should carefully assess the risk/benefit ratio of psychotropic drug use in older people," said Clementine Norden, MD, Sainte Ann Hospital Center, Paris, France, during a poster presentation on May 24.
"Our findings suggest that a causal relationship may exist between psychotropic drug use during a heat wave and increased risk of death in older people," she said.
Full Article and Source:
Older Patients on Psychotropic Medications at Increased Risk of Death During Heat Waves: Presented at APA
5 comments:
Well my loved one is on SEROQUEL, LEXAPRO, Ibyprofen, Thiamine, Aricept, Namenda, Gabopentin, Omeprazole and Folic Acid. A nice cocktail for the Florida heat. They make them sit out in the sun every day for a period of time.
I'm sorry MaeEliz and I bet there's also not a thing you can do about it -- that's even worse.
My mother had what appear to be unnecessary drugs requested by a court appointed guardian, Jetta Getty in Port Orange Florida. Ms. Getty's request resulted in a perscription of Zyprexa. Mother has failed miserable from this medication. My mother, is held against her will and against her family's will in FL. She is a resident and domicile of PA... went for a visit and Volusia County decided to keep her! Do you suppose they would have done the same if she had NO money? To date the attorneys have been paid about 100,000.00 of mothers estate by Jetta Getty just fighting to keep Rita there in the heat wave... against her family's wishes. I don't think it's a good idea to travel thru the "Sunshine State!"
How many older people who are taking psychotropic drugs actually need them?
my dad was in an assisted living place as the ward of the public guardian against his and our wishes. of course i was banned from seeing him because i knew too much and was outspoken about it. the court appointed attorney told the court he was not on any psychotropic meds when he "voluntarily" signed a nomination for the pg as his conservator. (he had no clue what he was signing) Under the PG care...there was a note in the chart that said he was a ward of the pg and to contact them if 1. he leaves the place any time over night 2. he is taken to the emergency room 3. he dies. that was the extent of follow up, other than not allowing family to see him. In 7 months he went to er bleeding and with contusions and nasty bruises from head to toe at least 6 times. They said he falls all the time. One year after his death I am finally getting records I keep asking for. I notice on his labs from some travelling doctor who saw him that he was severely anemic and he had very low sodium levels. Both of which could make a person weak and dizzy. The article does not mention this, but prozac and similar meds cause low sodium levels...sweating in the heat causes loss of sodium as well. Low sodium, while often ignored by doctors as no big deal is a big deal when you combine heat and prozac and maybe a diuretic that causes loss of sodium as well.
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